Durable Goods Orders Rise in December

Durable goods orders increased in December, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Orders grew 0.3%, following a 0.2% increase in November. Excluding transportation equipment orders, which tend to be volatile, orders rose 0.9%.

Economists had forecast orders to increase 2%, while orders excluding transportation were forecast to gain 0.5%, Bloomberg reported.

Durable goods include large items such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.